


A Different Sort of Demonstration

by Thealien



Series: Amari [3]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Blow Jobs, Bondage, Drunk Sex, F/M, Outdoor Sex, Public Blow Jobs, Rough Body Play, Sex Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-25 19:43:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16204364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thealien/pseuds/Thealien
Summary: Amari is a little tired of arguing about the reality of magic with Julian and decides to try a different approach.Content warnings: mentions of alcohol and being tipsy, but it's an established relationship and there's no dubcon hereSpoilers for Julian's book XVI Tower.Set post-canon. Featuring Amari, the AFAB genderneutral apprentice. Written in first person PoV after much writerly debate: if you'd like it in 3rd, comment or shoot me a message!





	A Different Sort of Demonstration

            “But how does it _work_?” I groan in false annoyance, but am truly just amused, as Julian repeats, again, for what may very well be the fifth time we’ve had this argument.

            “You’ve _done_ magic.” I point out, again, and he shakes his head, eyes glittering.

            “Ah, but with symbols, and it all made sense. None of this hand waving mystic malarkey.”

I kick back my stein of bitter-tasting drink and resolve to not let Julian pick for me, next time. His face was bright, high points of color belying the alcohol, and I consider my options. I could explain it, _again_ ¸ or... an idea forms in my mind and I get a curious look. I lean in close to be heard over the crowd’s din.

            “Alright, Jules. C’mon, let’s try… something else.”

I get an eager nod and he didn’t notice the nickname, surprisingly. He drops a handful of coins on the table as we slide out, a chorus of people shouting their goodbyes. I feel a hand clumsily sweep my side, searching for mine, and I drag him out of the bustling tavern. As much fun as it is in the Rowdy Raven, sometimes I wish it was the ‘Mildly Bustling Blue-jay’ or maybe the ‘Private Pelican’. I snicker to myself and can sense a fond gaze from above.

            “So, what is this mysterious something else? A demonstration, I assume?” He moves closer to wrap an arm around my shoulders; I hummed noncommittedly, aiming us for the nearby alleyway. “Should I shout for an audience? Could make a pretty penny if you’ve got the right sort of showmanship.”

I glance up, eyebrows quirked, and he laughs at me, squeezing me tight.

            “Or perhaps is this a more… private show?” He asks when I give a not at all covert look around the alleyway; I turn back to him and he gives me a lascivious grin. “What wily sort of magic are you planning, my dear?” Julian asks.

I flick my wrists out, dramatically, and his watches appreciatively as the evening fog starts to swirl around us, thickening. I have to focus, water magic not being my strongest suit, but I can cheat a little by setting the wind to whirl it closer. Within seconds, we’re surrounded by a curtain of fog. I keep our immediate area clear, but unless someone were to specifically walk into the alley, we’re covered. For good measure, I whisper fear into the air and the fog wraps itself around it; any non-magic user should find the alleyway unsettling. We’ll be kept nicely alone.

            “Very impressive magic, that.” He says, not sounding particularly impressed, and I tilt my head back to look up at him.

I’m a little tipsy, just enough to be warm and comfortable, and he’s a bit farther along than me. Intoxicated magic is rarely a good idea, but I’m nowhere near that state. It should be fine. I step towards him and he watches, peering down at me.

            “Magic is just the will to make one’s desires reality.” I start and he waves a hand.

            “Yes, you’ve said that bef-” He interrupts and I snatch his wrist out of the air, startling him to silence.

I set a hand on his chest and push forward, backing him into the cold wall of the Raven.

            “Oh, is this a dancing magic? Should we get a little music?” His wrist twists in my grip, trying to clasp hands, but I hold him tight.

            “How one goes about it is unique to each magic-user.” I continue, as though he hadn’t spoken, and I tap my foot twice against the cobblestones below me.

Obediently, the ground shifts under my feet, stones grinding against one another in a hiss, and I’m raised high enough in the air to be eye level to him.

            “That’s useful.” He grins, pleased, and his free arm slides around my waist, I hum my agreement, letting him distract me for a moment with a quick kiss.

I always knew I was short at not even five feet, I’ve endured years of Asra hiding things on top shelves, but Julian is _offensively_ taller. Luckily for him, I’ve enough ‘tricks’ up my sleeves that I won’t resort to shrinking spells.

Yet.

I pull back reluctantly, not wanting to get distracted, and he lets me, though his arm stays around me and it takes him a moment to bring his eye up to mine.

            “For example, Asra’s magic is like water. Free flowing, malleable, and it feels just like cool ripples washing over you.” I raise his hand to the wall, stretching it away from him. “Personally, I have a particular affinity for kinetics, though you’d have to tell me what it felt like.”

            “Kinetics?” Julian questions, glancing curiously up towards our hands.

I push his hand against the stone, my hand curved like a talon over a bony wrist, and I focus my magic. I release him, skimming my fingers down his arm, and get a raised eyebrow.

            “Movement. Making it faster, slower, or not at all.” I answer as I push myself flush against him with an innocent smile. “Make sense so far?”

The hand at my waist slips to my back, pressing me impossibly closer, and I feel warm breath on my face, a huff of a laugh.

            “Not even a lick.” He replies, tauntingly, and I grin.

            “Clever man like you?” I tease and slide my hand between us to take his chin, a thumb swiping over his bottom lip. “You’re just overthinking it. Focusing on the wrong thing, maybe.”

I feel him shift and have to suppress a laugh at the confusion on his face as he finds himself unable. He twists his head, my hand going with him, and he frowns up at his still-stuck hand. He gives it an experimental tug and I can see a ghostly hand there, pinning him, though he likely cannot.

I take the opportunity of his distraction to cover his throat with my hand; his pulse immediately starts hammering away under my light touch. I tense my grip slightly, not coming close to choking, but just enough that he can feel the slight pressure of my fingers against his windpipe.

            “Magic is simply the step between ‘I want’,” I murmur as I pull my hand away, fingers winding around an invisible-to-him cord, and he watches me, cheeks pinking.

I step backwards, off my quickly-sinking perch, and give a sharp tug on the leash.

He stumbles forward, head jerked down, and lets out a surprised yelp. His bound left hand keeps him stuck to the wall, even as he falls, and I have to bite my lip not to chuckle. I keep the tether low so he stays bent in half while I circle him, humming. I stroke a hand down his back, feeling the warmth radiating through his thin shirt, and he shivers.

            “…and ‘I have’.” I finish and get a short laugh that cuts off sharply when I manipulate the leash to move him around, just a step here, a step there, but I’m careful not to pull too far away from his stuck wrist. “Is this enough showmanship for you?” I ask.

I give him just enough slack to straighten up and he does, slowly; his head stays slightly bowed to relieve the pressure of his magic collar. His cheeks are as red as I’ve ever seen them and I don’t think it’s just the drink. He fidgets, free hand touching his neck, and his fingers curl around the magic collar; he swallows. As I come back around his front, he sways towards me, but I step away, not letting him make contact. He whines before choking it down and I give him an expectant look.

            “I, uh.” He seems to realize I’ve asked him a question; he rolls his shoulders and then pulls on his captive hand again, finding it still quite stuck. “It… feels like you’re holding me. Your hands… here. And there.” I nod, stepping back into his personal space, and he pliantly falls against the wall, eye eager.

It’s not the answer to the question I asked, but I can’t fault him for getting distracted. I catch his free hand before it can settle along my back and interlock our fingers. I raise it up and he grins when we both realize I won’t be able to reach the same height as I did the first. I adjust quickly and spread him out instead, pulling his hand wide so he’s just on the edge of uncomfortable. I spell his hand there and feel him strain, trying to bow his head to mine. I step back instead, denying him the kiss, and he pouts at me.

            “Good to know.” I say as he adjusts to his new leaning T-pose on the wall. “It’s my magic though, not these hands.” I hold my obviously empty hands aloft and he gives them a suspicious look while I study my work.

I can see a blush disappearing down the open V of his shirt. Every so often, he tenses his shoulders, testing the binds, and each time his color goes just a little more red, his breathing just a little more ragged.

            “Well, you’ve got my attention.” His voice is rough and his eye is bright. “Are you… going to demonstrate magic now? Or is all you have just these… little tricks?”  

A challenge. I grin at him, stepping closer, and press upwards as I tug at his leash again, though it’s hardly necessary. He drops quite willingly to my lips but I stop short, a hair’s breadth between us.

            “Oh, I’m just getting started.” I whisper and then push up to swallow his answering groan.

I can feel him trying to move, trapped between me and the wall, but my magic holds strong. A flick of my fingers dismisses the leash and collar, point having been made. I slide my hands behind him, barely noticing the rough stone, and when he breaks away to pant, I turn my teeth to his neck.

I have to be a _little_ careful now, since he has no magic mark to undo excess damage, but neither of us are particularly interested in kitten bites or coquettish licks. Besides, I _am_ showing off… I’ll just have to leave myself enough magic to heal him.

Later.

He sucks in a hissing breath as I sink magic-edged teeth into the sensitive junction of shoulder and neck, letting my tongue soothe it. My hands pull the bottom of his shirt up, sliding smoothly along heated skin, and he twists back to kiss me again. I dismiss the sharpened teeth, my normal ones are quite adequate for nipping his thin lips, and I feel a long leg wrap around me.

I snake one arm out to support his thigh, squeezing the firm flesh appreciatively, and let him pull us flush together, not that we were exactly ‘distant’. I feel him suppressing a moan as we come into full bodied contact; there’s familiar hardness pressed between us and my lips quirk.

That didn’t take long at all.

I focus my magic to fill my right hand, the one at his back, with the heat of fire, careful to not get the actuality. Fire is easier than water, but it still needs focus. I can feel him leaning into my touch, crushing my hand a little, clearly curious at the sudden warmth. I rub my fingers together quickly, dialing it back down to moderately hot, and I grin into his mouth.

            “What is tha-” He starts, trying to get enough distance between us to speak, and I lay one hot finger against his back.

He yelps, his body hopping forward but his pinned hands force him back, and I trace a burning path lightly up his spine. He shudders as I push him back into the wall, settling the fullness of my heated hand against his back.

            “Th-that’s,” His eye flutters shut before reopening, struggling to focus on me; his leg tightens around me, pressing me insistently into him. “It’s _hot_.”

He half chuckles at the double meaning but it quickly shifts into a groan as I stroke my hand down to the small of his back. I slip my fingers down the waistband of his trousers, flicking fire-licks down, and he shivers.

            “Starting to… understand?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady, but the soft whimpers, not to mention the stuttering jerks of his hips as my fingers dance fire over his skin, are more than a little distracting.  

            “I, oh.” A heavy swallow as my hand slides along his side to burn into his hipbone “Maybe it’s not all just,” My thumb sweeps below his pants, rubbing a ‘soothing’ circle into the thin skin there, and his breath hitches; he valiantly swallows the moan to continue. “Tricks. Maybe.”

I pull back, letting his leg drop from me, and shake the fire from my hand, and a loud whine startles us both. Impossibly, Julian flushes darker when we both realize it was him.

            “Maybe?” I ask, fake offense in my tone, and he bites into his lip, teeth contrasting sharply against the bruised red. “What would it take to convince you...” I take the edges of his lapel in my hands, tugging him, and he goes still, eye fixed on me. “Should I summon magic blades?” I carefully unbutton his shirt and he watches me, bated breath. “More fire? Or perhaps ice, next.”

His shirt is pushed open and I slide wet kisses along his reddened flesh, ever so lightly scraping with my teeth.

            “S-sounds good.” Julian groans, arching his back to push further into me, quietly demanding more, harder. “Thorough demonstration. Very… professional.”

I curl my hands at his sides, considering. This really hasn’t been that dramatic a use of my magic, not much more draining than just household chores, and I nod to myself as I slip my thumbs below his pants’ waistband. I’ve never _used_ the next spell before, but the theory of it seems simple enough…

I crush him into the wall as I wrap myself around him; he gasps at the sudden move and I hear a quiet thud as his head bounces lightly against the stone. I concentrate on my magic, focusing, as I drag one hand down his back, nails scraping harshly against his skin, and the other curves over the pert swell of his ass, groping one round cheek. I release my magic and then quickly switch to his front, taking a half step back. Quickly-summoned claws carefully trace light patterns into pale skin, pretty pink lines popping up with each stroke, and he twists, almost writhing, under the sharp touch.

Another flash of magic and then I’m pressing open-mouthed kisses along his chest, alternating bites and sucking marks as I map out gasps and moans. I can feel Julian pulling at his bonds, shuddering under my assault, and I push a little more magic towards them, to ensure he can’t escape. I flick my tongue over an abused nipple, gone shiny-red from my teeth. I twist my magic a final time and then step away to watch it work.

I watch as shimmers dance over him, silver on formerly pale skin, and my magic repeats my actions again and again. Julian’s head has fallen to one side, mouth open as he pants steamed breath into the air, and I have to cover my own mouth, swallowing back my reaction. My cheeks are hot and I take several long breaths, quieting myself.

Time spells are notoriously tricky, but I’ve cheated this one. Just a simple freeze and repeat, several ‘captured’ seconds, and now he’s trapped in a series of ten-second bursts of sensations. I chew my bottom lip as I watch, leaning against the cold wall.

It is… so worth the magical cost to see him this wrecked. His hips jerk forward, seeking friction from nothing, and half-muffled moans fall from his lips. He doesn’t seem to have realized my absence quite yet, unsurprisingly with him being under a multi-angled assault from three swirling masses.

His legs are wobbly and his wrists have gone white; a lot of his weight seems to be resting against the bindings. It wasn’t him testing them that I felt, but his knees starting to give out. I hum, rather pleased with myself, and his eye opens, slowly. It takes a moment for him to process what’s happening; he looks down at his chest to see a dozen spit-shiny bites, edged in blood, and then he stares the several feet distance between us. I hold up my hands again, wiggling my fingers meaningfully, and his hands clench at empty air, still bound. He swallows, throat bobbing with the effort.

I get a long, heated stare and I return it with a predatory smile, letting my gaze rake over him. He swallows and his mouth opens and closes, but no words come out.

            “Have I earned my pretty penny, then?” I ask once it becomes clear he’s not about to speak, and I walk in a half circle around him. “If not… I’d be happy to keep this up. I don’t even need to stick around.” His eye tracks me, lidded with desire. “You _did_ want to give people a show.”

            “D-did I say that?” He asks, letting his head thud back against the wall as my magic shoves him, again. “Doesn’t, oh. Doesn’t _sound_ like me.” He wets his lips as he tries to keep his eye open, watching me.

            “The Raven is living up to its name, tonight. I bet more than a few people would love to come play audience.” I move closer to him. “If my demonstration meets your standards?”

He twists in his bindings suddenly and for a moment, I worry I pushed too far. But then he just groans, head falling forward to look down on me and I can barely catch my breath at the sheer want on his face.

            “Amari…” Julian whispers, a whine clear at the back of his throat, and I press us together again.

I wave a hand, dismissing the repetition spell, and tap the wall to let his hands lower. Not release, no, not quite yet, but bring them a little closer to the rest of him. He sags against me and I push back, supporting him. I can feel the pop of his back as his muscles are allowed to relax from some of the strain; he takes a shuddering breath while I shake out one hand, summoning a refreshing coolness.

            “Yes, Julian?” I murmur as I stroke along his side, soothing his red skin, and set one hand on his hip, balancing his weight against me.  

            “I… still think it’s just a trick.” I freeze and then lean back, to look at him incredulously.

He has what can only be described as a shit-eating grin on his face and I shake my head even as I reach up as high as I can, wanting to kiss away that impetuous look. My non-magicked hand inches along his waistband to thumb the buckle.

            “You’re impossible.” I mutter into his mouth, but he breaks the brief kiss to laugh at me.

I press kisses down the column of his neck, pausing to carefully trace my tongue over some of the more interesting bites, and eventually he settles, though I can still feel the echoes of his humor.

            “I should just leave you here.” I continue, tapping my foot against the cobblestone and it bends to my will, smoothing out.

Unlike Julian, I’m a little picky about the pain I experience. Rough cobblestones on my knees is not particularly enjoyable.

            “I’ll redo the repetition spell. Do everything _but_ what you want.”

He shivers at that and I open the buckle one-handed; I set one hand at his hip, keeping his pants from falling all the way down, while the other trails slowly lower. I tilt my head back to look up at him, the hand on his hip keeping him tight against me as I purposefully press into him. I can see mischief and arousal in equal measure, and more than a little amusement, too.  

            “What _I_ want?” Julian asks, pushing back against me, actions belying words. “That’s _your_ hand in _my_ pants, if I’m not mistaken.” His eye glitters as I feel along thin, delicate skin and I hum, my fingers just on the edge of his undershorts before I pull my hand out.

            “My _sincerest_ apologies, Julian.” I murmur, falsehood ringing clear. “Let me undo your hands…”

I start to step away and am immediately caught by his leg hooking round my waist again. His pants promptly drop down, faster than I can catch, and he pulls me back to my earlier position.  

            “I didn’t say no.” He says quickly and I laugh, setting my hands at his waist.

When I lean forward, pressing another open-mouthed kiss against his breast, I can feel his heartbeat bound against my lips.

            “Oh, good.” I trail my hands up his sides as I slide into a crouch, sneaking kisses along his chest to his stomach. “Be a shame to end the demonstration early.”

I get no reply, but I’m busy tracing the edge of a jutting hipbone, so I didn’t expect one; I just appreciate the small, soft noises falling out of his mouth. I suck a patch of skin and I can feel his breath catch as he wavers in the air; I grip his waist even though the magical bindings _should_ keep him from collapsing on top of me. I flick my eyes up and watch him stare down at me as I scrape my teeth against the dark mark I’ve bitten into him.

            “I… oh.” His voice is breathy, barely there, and then his eye shuts as I slide forward.

Only to open again, surprised, when I skip past the obvious erection tenting- and staining- his undershorts to instead pepper kisses along his other hip.

            “Amari,” Julian whimpers and I smile, rubbing soothing circles into his waist.

I feel him shift and pull back enough to let him adjust himself. He shakes one leg free of his pants, and then it’s carefully slung over my shoulder; I help him so that I don’t catch a boot to my head by mistake. I twist to bite a kiss into his inner thigh just as he tries to either smother me with his thigh or guide me back towards his cock; I’m not actually sure which. I heard a thud that resounds through his whole body when I just push back against his leg, tongue tracing the imprints of my teeth, and I chuckle, breathing hot air over his burning skin.  

I look up to see only his chin; his head’s fallen back against the wall and his breath shudders. He’s tensely wound, hands limp in their bindings, and I nuzzle my face against his thigh. I move one hand, the other bracing his leg to make sure he doesn’t kill us both should he fall, to his undershorts. I worry the love-bite with my teeth and a low, wordless whine escapes his lips. I don’t think he notices as I slide his undershorts down, freeing a prominent cock that’s fairly dripping pre-come. I feel my heart stutter slightly and I have to take a moment to calm myself again; we won’t have much longer out here and I’d really prefer _not_ to get arrested for public indecency.

If only because Nadia would never, ever, ever let us live it down.

            “Juuulian.” I singsong and he blearily opens his eye to look down at me and goes stock still as I kneel in front of him, his cockhead a breath away from my mouth and my hand gently wrapped around its base.

Once I know I have his attention, I focus back at the task directly ahead of me.

One hand braces him, holding him fast at his hip, while the other ever so lightly holds his cock aloft, fingers trailing up and down. I lean forward, pressing a kiss to the tip of his cock and smearing wetness along my lips. I turn to the side, keeping my touch soft, teasing, and the leg hooked around my head tenses before relaxing; he seems to know I don’t intend to be rushed.

            “ _Good_ , Julian.” I praise and a high, keening sound escapes him.

I pepper kisses down to the base and then work my way back up to the tip. Taking a long breath through my nose, I focus on a spell that I’ve been making more use of than I ever thought I might, though I doubt that _this_ was its intended purpose.

Finally, I open my mouth and slip down, just a little. Julian’s breath is ragged in the air and all I can hear is his panting, moans, and occasionally my name. I swirl my tongue around and focus my magic for one last spell. A simple transformation and while I’ve never used it like this, it has come in handy a time or two.

I flick my eyes upwards and see that Julian is still staring down, transfixed. My lips quirk even around the cock in my mouth and I reveal the spell. A shuddered moan shakes through Julian as my tongue slides along the bottom of his cock, twisting around to fully wrap around his length. I slide my now-freed hand to curve over the swell of his ass, digging my fingers in to still his attempted thrusts.

            “I, I.” Julian tries, his own tongue darting out to wet his lips. “Amari, oh.” He strains against his bonds again; my hands tense on his body, warningly, and he stills immediately.

My mouth is entirely occupied, so I fix him with a look and even with the hot desire I know must be in my eyes, he nods, eye wild and his bottom lip is bleeding a little from his own teeth. I sink down his cock, squeezing it with my magically-elongated tongue, and let my eyes drift shut. I can feel the moans vibrating through him while I start to bob up and down, my tongue swirling around whatever I can’t fit down my throat.

Not needing to breath lets me focus instead on the feel of him in my mouth and the way he gasps my name; I rather like the fact that he can’t muffle himself at all. He babbles, almost, alternating praise and delight alongside the keening moans. It’s rather odd having my tongue so mobile, but every time I squeeze his cock or wind it along the length, Julian shudders or whimpers and I doubt this will be the last time I’ll be trying it.

A tremor rippling through him is my warning that he’s getting close and I swallow back my magic, letting my tongue return to its normal size. I grasp his cock in my hand, stroking it firmly up and down, and I wrap my mouth around the sensitive head.

            “Amari, I,” There’s a warning edge to his voice, and I look up at him, my eyes half-lidded, and whatever else he was about to said turns into a cry of relief as he comes.

I take as much as him in as I can and he shudders almost violently. I swallow quickly, reminding myself for the umpteenth time that if I don’t like him bitter, I should probably stop doing this when we’ve been drinking. It’s only when he softens that I pull back, brushing my cheek against the damp skin of his thigh. I look up again to grin up at the utterly debauched man, feeling want course through my veins at the sight.  

His bottom lip is bruised and bitten, and only some of it from me, while the rest of him is red as a spanked bottom. I take a moment to appreciate just how raw he is before I climb back up his body, waving a hand to finally free his.

Immediately, his arms drop, probably numb, but a bare second later he has my face cupped between his hands. He gazes down at me, sated yet still so hungry, and then he kisses me deeply. I don’t stop the moan from sliding out of my mouth as he clutches me tighter to him. When I break it, needing air since I apparently ended that spell too soon, he unexpectedly licks my face. He brings me back to his mouth and I can taste him on his tongue; he twists to my other cheek and then does it again.

            “Missed a spot.” He mutters before nipping his way back into my mouth and I hold him tight to me as he cleans my face.

Vesuvian nights are cool, but you wouldn’t know it for the fire that is currently alight in my core. I clutch his head, keeping him close to me, and its several long minutes before I can even attempt to reign myself in, chasing his lips like I need them to live.

Julian curls around me like a blanket, burying his face in my hair, while I try to take in some calming breaths.  

            “Not the kind of demonstration I was expecting.” Julian says finally, just as I’m about to suggest we move to the shop, and then grins at me. “You know, we are past the stage where you have to get me drunk before you shove me into alleys, darling.”

            “I’ll keep that in mind next time.”

I give myself a shake and then wave my hand to dispel the fog and fear spell while he redresses. Julian takes a moment to smooth down his shirt, tucking it in just as he had it before, and then snags my hand to lead me out of the alley, to home. He leans down to me and I can see his grin glinting in the darkness and sigh inwardly, knowing already what he’s about to say.

            “Amari, you probably should know…”

            “Yes, Julian?” I prompt, when he pauses dramatically, and his teeth flash in the moonlight.

            “I still think it’s all tricks.”

 


End file.
